Dr Tony Goldstone, an obesity expert from the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at London's Hammersmith Hospital, explains what fat is, why we need it and why too much fat in the wrong place can be bad for us.

Binge drinkers have a risk of heart disease twice that of people who consume the same amount of alcohol but more steadily, researchers say.

Cash-strapped councils are seeking control of £4bn of NHS funding which has been earmarked for public health spending, the BBC has learned.

The cholera epidemic in Haiti is spreading much faster than predicted, the UN says, and could cause 200,000 cases in the next three months.

Tests on post-menopausal women on HRT suggest the sex hormones can make the brain function more like that of a younger woman.

Taking early retirement is beneficial, at least for your mental health, say researchers.